Warriors: Dark Hearts: Secrets Unspoken
by sistersuki
Summary: Darkness consumes the forest as one cat's hidden ambition threatens to destroy the four Clans. Out of the chaos comes a pair of unlikely heroes - Sparrowfire, a well-respected ShadowClan warrior with a deadly secret, and Gale, a young rogue left alone in the world after her brother's death. Together, can they save the forest from its own power?
1. Allegiances

ALLEGIANCES

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER Hawkstar – muscular brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes (mate: Eggclaw, kits: Gempaw, Dustpaw, and Quickpaw)

DEPUTY Eggclaw – black-and-white tom with blue eyes (mate: Hawkstar, kits: Gempaw, Dustpaw, and Quickpaw)

MEDICINE CAT Poolfeather – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

WARRIORS

Greenheart – fluffy gray tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Gempaw

Swiftleap – gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Dustpaw

Bluesong – blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Quickpaw

Redleaf – red tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Creampaw

Moonfur – silver tom with blue eyes

Blacktail – black tom with gray eyes and a short, stumpy tail

Poppypelt – brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (mate: Moonfur, kits: Creampaw)

Stormytail – longhaired gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

Flameheart – orange tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Tawnyfoot – small brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Jasminefur – black she-cat with silver and white stripes and green eyes

Echoflame – cream tabby she-cat with green eyes

Mossfern – gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Cedarclaw – black tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICES

Gempaw – gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Dustpaw – dusty brown tabby tom with green eyes

Quickpaw – black-and-white tom with blue eyes

Creampaw – light brown tom with amber eyes

QUEENS

Mistyflower – slender gray she-cat, nursing Adderear's kits (kits: Rabbitkit – brown tabby tom with blue eyes and Mousekit – brown-and-white tabby tom with green eyes)

ELDERS

Reedfall – black and gray tom with blue eyes

Goldenheart – golden tabby she-cat with green eyes

Weedpelt – dark gray tom with blue eyes

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER Fogstar – gray tom with gray eyes (mate: Fernflower, kits: Brookpaw and Vixenpaw)

DEPUTY Toadtail – dark brown tom with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT Mallowheart – snowy-white tom with green eyes

WARRIORS

Larchfur – black she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Shadepaw

Hollyheart – black-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Wrenpaw

Sparrowfire – jet-black tom with dark green eyes

Apprentice, Skypaw

Stripedpelt – silver tabby tom with golden eyes

Apprentice, Darkpaw

Frogfoot – muscular gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Apprentice, Brookpaw

Tallfang – red tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Vixenpaw

Smoketail – dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Fernflower – black she-cat with blue eyes (mate: Fogstar, kits: Brookpaw and Vixenpaw)

Icebreath – small black-and-white tom with green eyes

Honeyclaw – golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Featherfur – fluffy black she-cat with gray eyes (mate: Fallenleaf, kits: Shadepaw, Wrenpaw, and Skypaw)

Nightfire – black-and-white tom with green eyes

Scorchfoot – black tom with one gray foot and green eyes

Badgerclaw – dark tabby tom with amber eyes (mate: Cloudfall; kits: Darkpaw)

Snakefang – blue-gray tom with green eyes

*Fallenleaf – _deceased _dark gray tom with dark green eyes, Sparrowfire's brother

APPRENTICES

Shadepaw – black-and-white tom with blue eyes

Wrenpaw – pale gray-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Skypaw – black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Darkpaw – dark tabby tom with blue eyes

Brookpaw – dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Vixenpaw – fluffy red tabby she-cat with a bushy tail and amber eyes

QUEENS

Cloudfall – black she-cat with white spots and amber eyes, nursing Badgerclaw's kits (Pinekit – black-and-white tom with green eyes and Thinpaw – skinny gray she-cat with blue eyes and a very long tail)

Snowtail – black-and-white she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Nightfire's kits

ELDERS

Brightstorm – golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Fogstar

Briartail – dark tabby she-cat with green eyes

Crowfoot – jet-black tom with bright blue eyes

Whitenose – brown tom with a white muzzle and amber eyes

WINDCLAN

LEADER Palestar – light brown tabby tom with blue eyes

DEPUTY Barkpelt – brown-and-white tom with blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT Goldfeather – golden tabby she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Longpaw

WARRIORS

Strongheart – powerfully built blue-gray tom with green eyes (half-WindClan and half-ThunderClan, brother of Mistyflower)

Apprentice, Tuftypaw

Sunnyfoot – light brown she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Softpaw

Heathersong – pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Sharppaw

Kestrelleaf – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Stonepaw

Brokenleaf – dusty-brown tom with a deformed back leg and blue eyes

Apprentice, Littlepaw

Sandpelt – sandy-brown she-cat with green eyes

Sorrelfoot – gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Harestep – dark tan she-cat with blue eyes

Sedgeleg – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes

Wildheart – gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Fleetleg – small gray tabby and white she-cat with blue eyes

Dappledark – black-dappled gray she-cat with green eyes

Cloudstripe – gray tom with white stripes and blue eyes

Grassfur – brown tom with black spots and green eyes

Adderear – brown-striped white tom with blue eyes

APPRENTICES

Longpaw – dark gray tom with blue eyes and a long muzzle

Tuftypaw – longhaired brown tabby tom with green eyes

Softpaw – pale tabby she-cat with green eyes

Sharppaw – dark brown tom with green eyes

Stonepaw – pale gray tabby tom with blue eyes

Littlepaw – white she-cat with black and silver stripes

QUEENS

Ambertalon – dark golden she-cat with green eyes, expecting Wildheart's kits

Rosedawn – white she-cat with blue eyes, nursing Cloudstripe's kits (kits, Peatkit – dark brown and white tom with blue eyes)

ELDERS

Tawnywing – dark tawny tabby tom with blue eyes

Mintnose – pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Rippleheart – black-and-white tom with green eyes

RIVERCLAN

LEADER Shimmerstar – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Crimsonpaw

DEPUTY Splashpelt – black-and-white tom with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT Silverwish – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with green eyes

WARRIORS

Lilyleg – creamy-white she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Moonpaw

Carpfoot – silver-and-brown tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Goldenpaw

Stormfish – dark gray tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Blackpaw

Pebblefur – brown tom with black spots and green eyes

Apprentice, Graypaw

Puddlepelt – muddy brown tom with amber eyes

Sungaze – white tom with golden eyes

Scarletfur – red tabby she-cat with amber eyes (mate: Splashpelt, kits: Crimsonpaw and Moonpaw)

Frozenbrook – white she-cat with blue eyes

Petalheart – cream tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Shiningfur – silver she-cat with darker gray stripes and green eyes (mate: Puddlepelt, kits: Goldenpaw, Blackpaw, and Graypaw)

Frogjaw – brown-and-white tom with blue eyes

Minnowtail – slim gray tom with blue eyes

APPRENTICES

Crimsonpaw – red tabby tom with blue eyes

Moonpaw – silvery-gray tom with green eyes

Goldenpaw – golden-brown she-cat with blue eyes

Blackpaw – black-and-white tom with gray eyes

Graypaw – silver tom with darker gray stripes and blue eyes

QUEENS

Cinderfern – gray tabby she-cat with white feet, expecting Stormfish's kits

ELDERS

Bounceheart – ginger tom with amber eyes

Crookedfire – golden tabby tom with one floppy ear and amber eyes

Silverlight – silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

Gale – dark gray she-cat with amber eyes, a rogue

Ace – black tom with blue eyes, a rogue


	2. Prologue

Prologue

Silence filled the hollow, broken only by the soft whistle of the wind. A lone tom stared into a deep pool, shadowed by stars, moonlight falling over his fiery ginger-and-white pelt. His ears perked at a set of footsteps, but he did not look up.

"A time of great darkness comes." A second cat joined the first, this a small, wiry brown she-cat, her eyes glinting in the semidarkness.

"I know, Wind. I have seen the signs," the ginger tom rumbled, not looking up.

"Did we have to meet here? Could we not have read the signs ourselves?" A third cat, a jet-black she-cat, ears flattened, stalked into the clearing.

"You know we had to meet, Shadow," Wind replied.

"Yes. Thunder made that very clear. He scared away my mouse in doing so." Shadow glared at the ginger tom as she passed. "Where's River? It's time to get started for StarClan's sake."

A silver-gray tom emerged from the shadows. "I am here."

"Great. So, what have the signs said?" Shadow demanded.

Thunder lifted his head. "The future is unclear."

"Muddled," River agreed.

"But there is something in the pool. Look." Wind leaned in and stared into the depths of the water. For a few moments there was silence. Then Wind leaped back with a hiss, her eyes widening in horror.

"Wind. Wind, what is it?" Thunder asked her urgently.

"A prophecy," Wind responded, her voice very soft.

"What was it?" Shadow demanded.

Wind took in a shuddering breath. _"After good times, there will be dark; brother will turn on brother, and only a storm can save the forest." _


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Gale looked over at her brother absentmindedly. Her stomach howled; it had been three days since they'd eaten last. Ace looked haggard, his black pelt hanging off of his thin skeleton, his blue eyes weary.

He leaped forward, legs trembling with the effort, and slammed his paws down on a small, wriggling creature—a mouse. Gale brightened as he leaned in and gave it a killing bite. Perhaps they would be eating today.

He carried it over.

"Nice catch," Gale complimented him, her mouth already watering at the scent of freshly killed prey. She crouched beside Ace and began eating the mouse in quick, neat bites. They finished it within a few heartbeats. Gale still felt hungry; this leaf-bare had been particularly hard. Gale shook out her paws; they were cold and wet and numb from the thick layer of snow on the ground.

Despite her hunger, Gale was pleased. They had managed to find just enough food to survive, and Ace was the best teammate Gale could have found. They had been together ever since their mother's death, when they were only six months old.

Gale shuddered. She still remembered the day with complete clarity.

It was a hot greenleaf day, the sun high in the bright blue sky. Gale, Ace, and their siblings, Mushroom, Marra, and Sunbeam had just finished a rabbit that their mother, Poppy, had brought them. Gale had been the last to eat, of course; she was the runt of her litter, but now she was pleased to be lying beside Gale, warm and full-fed.

A strange smell pervaded the clearing that they were resting in. Poppy lifted her head. Gale loved Poppy with all her heart—her mother was a kind she-cat, with long, silver-gray fur and clear blue eyes.

"What's that smell?" Sunbeam asked, wrinkling his nose.

Poppy's eyes widened. "Sunbeam, Gale, Marra, Mushroom, and Gale, go into that bramble bush _right now," _she growled, standing up. Her fur was starting to bush up.

The kits looked very uncertain; finally Ace stood. "Come on." He crawled into the bramble bush Poppy was gesturing to. Reluctantly, the other five followed. Gale was last (as always). She squirmed into the darkness of the bush, yelping as thorns caught at her pelt. Then she managed to wriggle around so that she could look out.

Poppy was advancing slowly toward a thick patch of ferns, claws unsheathed. There was a sudden noise, and a flash of red fur leaped out of the undergrowth.

The creature looked a bit like a dog, the strange, yappy creatures that Twolegs walked around with, but it somehow seemed more vicious. It had long red fur and a narrow, ugly muzzle, and its amber eyes glinted with hunger.

Gale watched as it leaped at Poppy. Poppy sidestepped swiftly and slashed at it with claws unsheathed. The dog-creature's ribs were very prominent.

_It's starving, _Gale realized, _Just like us._

"That's a fox," Ace whispered, sounding tense, "Poppy showed me one once. A dead one."

The fox was snapping at Poppy's throat as Poppy went on the defensive. It suddenly leaped forward and sank its jaws into her neck. Poppy's shriek was cut off as she fell backwards, blood bubbling at her throat. Her eyes widened, and she struggled feebly; then she fell limp. The fox dropped her and howled in triumph.

"She's…she's dead!" Marra gasped.

"Come on. We have to go," Ace meowed tersely.

"With you?" Sunbeam exclaimed, "If it weren't for you, Poppy would still be alive!"

"How is it Ace's fault?" Gale asked fiercely, coming forward to defend her brother.

"He was the one who told us to go into the bush!"

"No, Poppy told us to!" Gale growled.

"Whatever. I don't want to be anywhere near _him_," Sunbeam snarled, glaring at Ace, who still looked shocked, "Coming, Marra, Mushroom?"

Marra and Mushroom nodded, following Sunbeam out of the bush. Gale started to follow, but Sunbeam stopped her. "We don't want _runts_ with us."

Gale stopped and stared after them, her heart pounding. The fox had gone, along with Poppy's body, but there were still red stains on the white snow. Gale whimpered.

"Gale, come on. We can stick together."

Gale turned and followed Ace without a word of protest, her heart hurting. She remembered Poppy's clear, calm, kind blue eyes and her soft, slow voice. Then she swallowed and turned to follow Ace.

Gale shook herself. It had been a hard day, but she and Ace would be together for the rest of their lives now.

They stood and, without a word, began to walk through the trees. They'd wandered far this leaf-bare, and the sights and smells of the bare forest they walked through were unfamiliar to Gale. A breeze rose up, stirring the snow, and for a moment Gale caught a faint whiff of cats. She paused, but the scent had faded.

"What?" Ace asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Nothing," Gale replied, continuing forward.

They travelled for the rest of the day, but there wasn't another sniff of prey to be found, so they curled up together underneath a bramble bush to settle in for the night.

Gale dreamed.

She was walking down a tunnel, stone beneath her paws. It was so dark that she could not even tell the difference between her paws and the ground, but somehow she wasn't scared. She could hear faint voices ahead, whispering something to her. She started to run, desperate to hear what they were saying to her. A sudden silver flash blinded her, and she yowled as a paw went over her mouth.

"Gale, be quiet!"

Gale opened her eyes to see Ace over her, his blue eyes narrowed.

"I think there's a fox sniffing around outside. Wait here."

He leaped off of her and slid silently out of the bramble bush. Heart pounding, Gale stood to follow, but he waved her off with his tail.

He stepped into the snowy forest. It was almost dawn but still too early for the sun to have risen. Ace's black pelt looked like a dark shadow over the blindingly white snow.

For a moment, as Ace wearily looked around, there was silence. Then there was a snarl, and suddenly Ace was flung off of his feet.

Gale forced her way out of the bush, yowling, as Ace struggled against his attacker—a fox. Hatred made Gale's claws slide out. She ran forward to claw at the fox's flank; it turned to her and swung its paw at her. Gale screeched as she flew sideways, her head hurting from the hard hit. Dizzy and dazed, she sat up to face the attacker, but suddenly Ace was there. His ear was bleeding, but other than that, he looked uninjured. He clawed at the fox, but the fox just swung a blow at him. Ace tried to dodge, but the fox's paw hit him square in the neck. There was a loud crack, and Ace fell limply to the ground.

Gale stood with her fur bushed out, trying to ignore her nausea, as the fox looked at her thoughtfully. It glanced back at Ace and then, seeming to decide against a fight, turned and ran away.

Gale relaxed, advancing on trembling legs to her brother. It had been a hard hit; she wondered how long it would take for him to recover. She nudged him with one paw. "Ace, come on. We have to get out of here."

Ace didn't respond. His eyes were wide open, his head twisted at an awkward angle. There was a strange smell coming off of him.

"No. No." Gale stared in horror at her brother. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be dead. But she knew in her heart that it was true. She turned and sprinted away from his body, just like the fox had done, sprinted and sprinted and sprinted, unable to get the sight of his blank blue eyes out of her mind.

When she finally stopped, the first thing that she registered was the overwhelming smell of cats. And then she heard the hisses. And then she heard the voice.

"Who are you, and what are you doing on ShadowClan territory?"


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sparrowfire, you can lead the dawn patrol. Bring Skypaw and Smoketail."

Sparrowfire nodded respectfully to Toadtail, the ShadowClan deputy. He glanced over his shoulder at Skypaw, his apprentice. The black-and-white tom was a quick learner and never afraid to ask questions; Sparrowfire loved mentoring him.

"Come on, Skypaw, Smoketail," he called, flicking his tail and heading for the camp entrance. The two other cats fell into step behind him. It was only a few more moons of training before Skypaw became a warrior, and Sparrowfire knew how excited his young apprentice was.

"Sparrowfire, are we allowed to hunt?" Skypaw asked, fluffing his fur out against the cold.

"Normally, I'd let you, but seeing as it's leaf-bare…" Sparrowfire trailed off apologetically. Skypaw looked scrawny; this winter had been especially hard on the Clan. Sparrowfire picked his way through the snow toward the border, trying to ignore the own hungry ache in his stomach.

"Ow!"

Sparrowfire spun around. Smoketail was wincing, holding one foot off the ground. The gray tabby tom gaze his paw an experimental shake, scattering little red droplets over the snow.

"What happened?" Sparrowfire demanded.

"I stepped on a thorn," Smoketail responded, sounding awkward.

"Let me see." Sparrowfire stepped over and examined the cut. The thorn was still in it, a huge, prickly thorn stuck deep into Smoketail's pad. Sparrowfire sighed.

"Let's go back to camp," he suggested, "I'll trade you out for another warrior, and Mallowheart can take a look at your paw."

Smoketail nodded. Slowly, the trio limped back toward camp. It was slow, agonizing work; Smoketail couldn't put any weight on his foot. When they finally reached the familiar bramble thicket, Sparrowfire had lost most of his patience. He knew that Smoketail needed to get his cut looked at, but it didn't make it any less frustrating.

"Hey, Icebreath!" Sparrowfire glanced over at the small black-and-white tom. Icebreath sat up from grooming himself. "Can you finish the dawn patrol with me? Smoketail hurt his paw."

Icebreath dipped his head and stalked over. His green eyes flashed respectfully to Skypaw, who was known as one of the fiercest (and biggest) apprentices. "Let's go."

Sparrowfire's stomach rumbled the entire way to the border. He hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, when he and Stripedpelt shared a small, scrawny mouse. He tried to push away thoughts of leaf-bare and the lack of prey as they neared the boundaries.

Instantly Sparrowfire could smell something was wrong. The scent of cat clung to the ferns. Sparrowfire paused. "Wait."

The cat was female and smelled of no Clans; she must have been a rogue. The scent was still fresh and strong. Just as Sparrowfire noticed this, a cat leaped out of a patch of ferns. Sparrowfire leaped back, hissing. "Who are you, and what are you doing on ShadowClan territory?"

The cat looked very startled. She was very skinny, even thinner than the cats of ShadowClan. Her dark gray coat hung limply off of her bones, and her amber eyes were wide and terrified. She stared at Sparrowfire in fear, cringing away, her fur bristling and her tail flattening to the ground.

"I'll ask again," Sparrowfire growled. Despite how pitiful this she-cat looked, he knew from bitter experience how strong rogues could be. "Who are you, and—"

"My name is Gale," she interrupted in a small, tremulous voice. Sparrowfire's instincts told him that she was not a threat, that she was the farthest thing from a threat that he had ever encountered. The jet-black warrior shifted uncomfortably as he waited for Gale to go on.

"I…I'm here because my brother's dead," she added, her amber eyes flashing with pain, "I didn't mean to enter your territory. I'll leave now, if you like."

Sparrowfire felt a sharp pang; he understood the anguish she must have felt for her brother. He had lost a brother, too. With great effort, the black warrior pushed his memories aside.

Gale waited silently for Sparrowfire's jurisdiction. Sparrowfire looked at her thoughtfully. ShadowClan didn't have a habit of bringing in outsiders, but certain rogues were born warriors. Take Hollyheart. She had started off a rogue, living alone, getting into fights with ShadowClan patrols, until finally Fogstar had invited her into the Clan. After minimal training, Hollyheart—then only Holly—had taken on a warrior name and become a part of ShadowClan.

Gale looked to be the kind of cat who, with the right kind of training, could be just the type of dangerous warrior that ShadowClan needed.

"Gale, I think Fogstar would like to speak with you. Come with us." Sparrowfire tried to ignore the incredulous looks that Skypaw and Icebreath were shooting him.

Gale flattened her ears but did not argue. She instead fell into step behind Sparrowfire, Icebreath and Skypaw taking up the lead.

The walk was long and slow; Gale stumbled often and was panting by the time the patrol reached ShadowClan camp. Sparrowfire paused and looked over at his home. Despite the hunger, cold, and sickness that leaf-bare brought, he loved looking at the camp covered in snow as it was now. It seemed to simply sparkle in the pale sunlight of leaf-bare.

"Sparrowfire, why are we stopped?"

Sparrowfire glanced back at his impatient young apprentice. "No reason." He began to walk down the slope.

Immediately normal camp work and routine was brought to a halt as Sparrowfire and his patrol brought Gale into the clearing. Gale's ears flattened as hostile looks and fierce whispers broke out among the Clan.

"What's _she_ doing here?" Tallfang stepped forward, shielding Vixenpaw behind her. Her blue eyes flashed angrily. "Sparrowfire, that's a rogue!"

Gale crouched down, her eyes widening, as the other ShadowClan warriors hissed at her. For a moment Sparrowfire was frozen; what was he supposed to say? Then he drew himself up. "Silence!"

The warriors settled down mutinously, glaring at him.

"I brought her because she needs to speak with Fogstar," Sparrowfire continued. It wasn't exactly a lie. "Is he in his den?"

"No. He went out on patrol with Larchfur, Shadepaw, and Fernflower," Tallfang responded. Her eyes narrowed. "She says she needs to talk to—"

"Then Gale can wait until he comes back. In the meantime, we should continue about our daily routine." Sparrowfire shot Tallfang a warning look. The sharp-tongued tabby she-cat wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and the last thing that he needed was for her to stir up the Clan again.

Icebreath looked at Gale. "Where should she stay, for now?"

Sparrowfire surveyed the camp and spotted a little sheltered cleft in between the bramble thicket and the rocks of the medicine den. "Right over there."

"Alright." Icebreath began to guide Gale over to the alcove. Sparrowfire flicked his tail at Skypaw. "Watch her, will you? You can trade off places with Wrenpaw later."

"Alright, Sparrowfire," Skypaw sighed, trailing after Icebreath and Gale.

Sparrowfire gazed after Skypaw. The young tomcat was going to be a fantastic warrior. A sigh escaped Sparrowfire. He missed Fallenleaf.

He knew Fallenleaf was in StarClan, safe, but StarClan felt so far away, especially with Skypaw as his apprentice. The young cat looked so much like Fallenleaf in the shape of his body and the prick of his ears.

Sparrowfire still remembered Fallenleaf's death. The young, active, happy dark gray tom had started coughing one day in newleaf. It worsened, and Mallowheart put him in the medicine den with a diagnosis of greencough. Despite Mallowheart's best efforts, Fallenleaf had succumbed to the mysterious cough and died, just a quarter-moon after his mate, Featherfur, gave birth to three kits—Shadekit, Wrenkit, and Skykit, now all apprentices.

Sparrowfire missed his brother with a burning ache. He knew how Gale felt. As much as he didn't want to admit it, that had been part of the reason he'd taken her in.

Sparrowfire sighed as he left the camp again. He needed to hunt, and, more importantly, he needed to clear his head.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Heartache filled Gale's body.

Ace had been everything to her. She remembered when they learned to hunt, all the battles they'd fought together. Ace's blue eyes sparkling as he praised her.

And now he was gone.

Gale shifted. Everything was so confusing. She heard names called throughout the bramble hollow she had been trapped in, long names like Icebreath and Snakefang and Frogfoot. What kind of cats had names like that?

Then there was the jet-black tom with the dark green eyes. He had been so big and imposing, but his tone had been gentle when he brought her to the bramble hollow. And the black-and-white tom, the small one, that brought her over to the little alcove she was in now. He had been nothing but kind to her. And now the young black-and-white tom, the one that was sitting in front of her, guarding her. Skypaw, the cats called him? He was polite.

Gale sat up, trying to push thoughts of Ace from her mind, and observed the bramble hollow. A white-spotted queen was watching her two young kits play in the snow while some cats about Skypaw's age were making new nests in all of the many dens. Four very old cats were lounging in the sun across the clearing.

Everyone looked hungry, but they didn't look nearly as hungry as Gale felt. In fact, another queen—probably just a half-moon from birthing—was eating an entire mouse.

Part of Gale wanted to run from here as fast as she could. The other part wanted to join this strange group of cats.

"Skypaw! I can switch with you now!"

A pale gray-brown tabby she-cat trotted up to Skypaw, her green eyes sparkling, and touched his nose.

"Thanks, Wrenpaw." Skypaw sounded relieved. He touched her flank with his tail and then wandered off.

The tabby, Wrenpaw, turned around. "Hi! Are you Gale?"

Gale nodded, slightly shyly, and sat up.

"Hey, Skypaw!" Wrenpaw called.

Skypaw poked his head out of one of the dens. "What?"

"Let's share a mouse or something with Gale. What's there to eat?"

Skypaw yawned and padded over to a tree stump. On top of it was a scrawny mouse and a finch. "Finch or mouse?"

"Mouse," Wrenpaw replied.

Gale felt her mouth begin to water as Skypaw carried the mouse over. "We'll have to go hunting later. When Darkpaw gets back, he can guard, and you, Shadepaw, and I can go hunt."

Skypaw dropped the mouse in front of Gale. He and Wrenpaw began to eat with small, quick bites. Hesitantly, Gale joined, forcing herself not to ravenously devour the entire thing.

When she finished, she was still hungry and tempted to eat the finch as well, but Skypaw and Wrenpaw didn't offer it, so she didn't ask for it.

The big black tom with the dark green eyes returned a little while later, looking battered, with only a shrew in his jaws. He dropped it on the tree stump. "We need more prey."

"Wrenpaw, Shadepaw, and I want to go hunting, but there's no one to trade off guard with," Skypaw complained.

"I'll trade, for now." The black tom strode over, looking strong and mighty in the pale sunlight despite his skinniness.

"Well, Shadepaw's not back yet," Wrenpaw pointed out.

"Go without him," the tom ordered. The two apprentices nodded and headed out.

"Have you eaten?" the tom asked, turning his attention to Gale.

Gale considered pretending she hadn't and eating the finch, but something in her didn't want to see the disappointment in the black tom's eyes if he ever found out. "Yes."

"I don't think I've told you my name. I am Sparrowfire of ShadowClan," the black tom mewed.

_Wow! What an impressive name!_

"Since you're here, you might as well learn about the four Clans," he continued, sitting down.

"Clans?" Gale paused. "Like ShadowClan?"

Sparrowfire looked pleased. Gale's heart swelled.

"Yes. We are in ShadowClan. On our borders are WindClan, of the open moors, and ThunderClan, of deep, overgrown woods. The other Clan is RiverClan. They reside on the banks of a river and fish and swim for their prey."

_Yuck! _Gale shuddered. _Who _likes_ getting their paws wet?_

"The four Clans live in peace with each other," Sparrowfire continued, "usually. There are boundaries that we're not allowed to cross. That keeps the peace. Sometimes, we join together against a common enemy. And every full moon, we meet under a truce in the hollow of the four trees, called Fourtrees."

Gale cocked her head to one side. "How do the Clans not fight?"

"We are guided by a code of honor. The warrior code," Sparrowfire responded, rising up proudly, his dark green eyes glinting.

Gale heard the sound of coughing; a group of four cats had returned to the bramble hollow, and two of them were coughing. Gale winced. She knew how deadly coughs could be.

Sparrowfire turned around. "Featherfur, Scorchfoot, you should see Mallowheart about those coughs."

The two cats looked too exhausted to argue. One, a black tom with green eyes, just stumbled toward the rock cleft next to Gale's alcove. The second, a fluffy black she-cat, her eyes as gray as storm clouds, sighed and coughed before making her way over to Sparrowfire.

The she-cat had the makings of being very pretty, but currently she looked miserable. Her fur was clumpy and matted, her bones even more visible than Gale's. Her gray eyes looked tired and dull, and her entire body was drooping.

"Sparrowfire…" The she-cat broke off to cough.

"Featherfur, you need to eat. Then go see Mallowheart." Sparrowfire sounded worried.

Featherfur glanced over at the tree stump. There was no fresh-kill; someone must have taken the finch.

"Never mind that," Sparrowfire rapidly revised, "Just go see Mallowheart."

"Sparrowfire…" Featherfur stifled a cough. "If I die…take care of Shadepaw, Wrenpaw, and Skypaw for me."

"You're not going to die," Sparrowfire mewed fiercely.

Featherfur shook her head and padded toward the medicine den.

Sparrowfire sighed deeply and sat down. Gale wondered if she should comfort him, but she had no idea of Featherfur's relation to Sparrowfire. His sister? His…mate?

Sparrowfire didn't have a mate, did he?

_What does it matter? _Gale chided herself. It shouldn't matter whether or not Sparrowfire had a mate. After all, he was such a handsome, brave cat. Surely he had a mate?

Gale's stomach twisted. _My brother didn't have a mate, and he was the handsomest, bravest cat I've ever known. _In her mind, she saw Ace, lying in the snow, his neck twisted. _How could he have died? _Gale thought helplessly, _How could my brother just die?_

Gale settled deeper into her little alcove. _My brother's dead. Ace is dead. I'll never see him again. _

She stared out over the bramble hollow, her heart aching for her brother. _I'm sorry, Ace. _

Sparrowfire had gone silent, which was fine with Gale. She stared at the black tom. From behind, he almost looked like Ace. They both had short, sleek black pelts. But Sparrowfire was much bigger than her small, wiry brother.

Gale half-closed her eyes so that her sight of Sparrowfire blurred into her memories of Ace.

_I'm so sorry, Ace._


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Echoflame had never met a cat cleverer than her brother, Greenheart.

Their mother had named him for his brilliantly green eyes, but Echoflame thought he ought to have been named Cleverheart instead, for he was the smartest, smoothest tom she had ever met. If she hadn't been related to him, she might have fallen in love with him.

He was a little bit older than Echoflame, but they were both the only survivors of their litter. Greenheart's siblings, Starlingleap and Amberpelt, had both died in a battle against ShadowClan a long time ago. Echoflame had been the only kit in her litter. Thus, Echoflame and Greenheart had grown pretty close throughout their lifetime.

But lately, Greenheart had begun to drift away. He was training his second apprentice, Gempaw, after mentoring Cedarclaw, and he had risen to be one of the most-respected warriors in the Clan, second only to Hawkstar and Eggclaw. While Echoflame was quite proud of him, she missed the time they used to spend together.

Echoflame pushed her worries aside as she crouched down to tuck into a mouse with her best friend, Jasminefur.

All in all, ThunderClan was thriving this leaf-bare. The Clan had managed to find enough prey despite the snow, and Mistyflower's kits were growing up into fine young cats, despite the fact that their father was Adderear of WindClan. It was only a moon until their apprenticeship, and Echoflame hoped she would be permitted to mentor one of them. ThunderClan warriors were flourishing this leaf-bare.

"Let's go hunting later," Jasminefur suggested, stretching out her hind legs.

"Alright." Echoflame swished her tail through the snow. She loved snow; it was so bright and sparkling and so soft beneath her pads.

_If I ever have kits, I'll name one of them Snowkit. _

Jasminefur's eyes glowed. "I love being in ThunderClan."

Echoflame purred. _Agreed. _

"Hey, Echoflame!"

Echoflame turned in surprise to see her brother bounding toward her. He must have just come back from dawn patrol. "Would you like to come hunting with me?" Greenheart asked, his bright green eyes widening hopefully.

"Sure, Greenheart." She glanced at Jasminefur. "Come with?"

"Er, actually, Echoflame…" Greenheart sounded awkward. "Just you and I?"

"Oh, alright." Echoflame shot Jasminefur an apologetic look. The striped black she-cat inclined her head slightly to show she understood. Relieved, Echoflame trotted after Greenheart.

The snow was thicker outside the hollow, but less of it was touched; it looked cleaner and softer, unmarked by cat paws. _It's going to snow again tonight, _Echoflame noted, gazing up at the sky as she climbed up the ravine.

"Echoflame."

Greenheart sounded solemn. Surprised, the cream tabby she-cat returned her attention to him. "Yes?"

"I haven't been, you know, close with you recently. But Eggclaw…well, Eggclaw's getting old, and I think I have a decent shot at deputy."

Echoflame paused. Greenheart had always talked about his ambition—how much he wanted to be leader, how much he wanted to bring ThunderClan up to its full potential. But she had never taken him seriously—not until now.

"If I don't, you know, talk with you a lot, Echoflame," Greenheart went on, oblivious to her shock, "it's just because I'm trying to act more responsible, for the Clan. Alright?"

Echoflame nodded mutely. Greenheart touched her shoulder with his tail. "Just you wait. We'll be close again, someday."

_Maybe. _Echoflame stared out into the forest. "We should hunt."

Greenheart nodded. "I think I smell a squirrel over there." He bounded off into the snow-gripped forest.

_My brother wants to be deputy. _

Echoflame sighed and followed.

The two cats managed to catch the squirrel and a mouse before returning to camp. They hadn't spoken another work to each other during the entire hunt, and Echoflame yearned to tell Jasminefur about Greenheart's ambition.

They dropped their prey off, and Echoflame scampered over to her friend, who was playing with Rabbitkit and Mousekit.

"Jasminefur," Echoflame breathed, stepping delicately around Rabbitkit.

Jasminefur looked up, her green eyes glinting as she rolled Mousekit under one paw. "What?"

"Greenheart wants to be…_deputy!" _Echoflame lowered her voice. She wasn't sure if Greenheart wanted it to be public knowledge.

"Jasminefur!" Rabbitkit complained. Jasminefur shot him a look, and he and Mousekit trotted off, tails down. Jasminefur turned back to Echoflame. The black she-cat, to Echoflame's astonishment, didn't seem surprised in the slightest. "Well, he's been trailing after Eggclaw for ages. I thought you'd noticed."

"Yeah, but I thought it was just because Eggclaw was his mentor…" Echoflame sat down and shook her head. "Greenheart, deputy? I can hardly wrap my mind around that, let alone leader…"

"Oh, I can," Jasminefur mewed. She straightened, puffing out her chest, and began speaking in a very deep, mocking tone. "I am Greenstar, leader of ThunderClan, and you'd better do what I say or else."

Echoflame let out a purr of amusement. "Don't forget that he'll just be sitting in his den, stuffing his face with food!"

"What are you two lovely she-cats talking about?"

Echoflame and Jasminefur both froze as Blacktail wandered over.

"Um, well, nothing, really," Echoflame stammered.

Blacktail looked very amused. "Well, can you come hunting with me?"

Echoflame sighed. She had just gotten back from hunting. But she shrugged. "Sure. Jasminefur, are you coming?"

Jasminefur nodded, dipping her head to Blacktail. "Of course."

Blacktail led the way out. Echoflame stared at his tail, fascinated. It was hardly there; only a little nub showed through under his dark fur.

"Stop staring," Jasminefur muttered.

"What?" Echoflame glanced at her friend, confused. "I was looking at his tail."

"What?" Now it was Blacktail's turn to be confused. He looked over his shoulder. "Were you talking to me."

"No, no, I wasn't," Echoflame replied quickly, shooting Jasminefur a warning look. Jasminefur looked more amused than anything.

They trekked back up the ravine. Echoflame leaped from rock to rock, enjoying the rush of wind over her muscles and the sleek, cold snow beneath her paws. When she finally reached the top, she took a moment to turn and stare over the ravine: the camp, the sandy hollow, the trees dipping under the weight of snow.

_I love my Clan, _Echoflame thought to herself, purring.

"Echoflame, come on!"

Echoflame turned and padded after Jasminefur as her friend pelted into the forest.

_Greenheart will make a good leader for this Clan. _

She told herself that over and over. He was strong; he had survived the deaths of his siblings, and he had always been very kind to her. There was no reason for Echoflame to doubt him. Yet, deep inside of her, she wondered.

_Is Greenheart really the right cat to lead ThunderClan?_


	7. Chapter 5

**A/N I can't remember what the ShadowClan camp vantage point is (i.e., Highledge, etc.) so if you know, please let me know in the reviews! For now, I'm calling it Talltree. **

Chapter 5

"Fogstar is back!"

Sparrowfire jumped and shook himself out of his thoughts. Fogstar. Gale.

_Featherfur will be fine. _

Sparrowfire stepped forward. "Thank you for the warning, Skypaw," he purred, amused by his apprentice's enthusiasm. Skypaw dipped his head. With a pang, Sparrowfire realized that he hadn't even noticed when the young tom came back.

_I need to stop worrying about Featherfur. She's a strong cat. _

Fogstar was indeed coming in. Fernflower, his mate, was beside him, while Larchfur and Shadepaw trailed behind. Fernflower carried a small shrew, while Larchfur and Shadepaw were dragging a rabbit.

"Shadepaw hunted well today," Fogstar meowed to Larchfur, "He, Wrenpaw, and Skypaw are almost ready to become warriors."

Larchfur dipped her head while Shadepaw's eyes widened in excitement.

Sparrowfire steeled himself and then stepped up to Fogstar. "Fogstar, I found a rogue on our borders. I thought you might like to meet her. She's right over here, unless you have better business to attend to." _Do I sound disrespectful?_

Fogstar looked with surprise to Gale, who was crouched deep in her little alcove. "She looks like she has the makings of a fine warrior," he remarked.

Sparrowfire nodded. "That was why I brought her. She seems like she could be a fine addition to the Clan."

Fogstar strode purposefully over to the young she-cat. He was a big cat, really, big and strong, with a sleek, rippling gray pelt despite his hunger and skinniness and fierce gray eyes.

"What is your name?" he asked her, not unkindly.

"G-Gale," Gale stammered, staring up at Fogstar in fear.

"I have no desire to hurt you, Gale."

Sparrowfire crept away, not wanting to appear as if he was eavesdropping. He crawled into the warriors' den and yawned; then, exhausted, he lay down in his comfortable nest near the middle to sleep.

Immediately he was swept into a dream.

ShadowClan lines were advancing into ThunderClan lines; Sparrowfire raced forward alongside his Clanmates, Gale on one side, Skypaw—now a full-grown tom—on the other. A fluffy gray tom with green eyes yowled for ThunderClan to attack, and the two lines crashed together. Sparrowfire slashed and clawed at his opponents, blood filling his vision, until he struck down a beautiful cream tabby she-cat with green eyes. She sat up and stared at him; guilt filled his veins as if he had attacked another ShadowClan warrior. Then she opened her jaws and breathed, "_After good times, there will be dark; brother will turn on brother, and only a storm can save the forest."_

Sparrowfire woke suddenly, torn from his dream like prey is torn from life.

_After good times, there will be dark; brother will turn on brother, and only a storm can save the forest._

Was it a…prophecy?

Sparrowfire shook his head. _I'm not a medicine cat. It was just a dream._

He lay back down, determined to forget the strange vision.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Talltree for a Clan meeting!"

Sparrowfire sat up and stretched, yawning widely. The cold air hit him in a burst of frost, and he shivered. _Can't wait until newleaf. _

He had dreamed peacefully, of chasing a frog through the marshes. _That must have just been a nightmare. _

He stepped outside, letting the icy air surround him, and bushed out his fur. Gale was standing at the foot of Talltree, while Fogstar was sitting on its branch.

"Many of you heard of the rogue that Sparrowfire and his patrol brought into our camp," Fogstar began, "and I have decided that she will be a valuable asset to ShadowClan, as a warrior."

Before he had even finished speaking, yowls of protest rang out from the crowd.

"Fogstar, she's a rogue!" Frogfoot yelled, his blue eyes blazing.

"She's such a delicate skinny little thing!" Nightfire snarled.

"And look at her, she's a coward!" Snakefang added.

"Rogues never make good warriors," Brightstorm put in. Her blue eyes were hard. "Fogstar—"

"_Excuse me?" _Hollyheart rose up to her full height, her lip curling. "_What_ did you just say, Brightstorm?"

The camp went dead-silent as Hollyheart faced Brightstorm, the former's fur beginning to fluff up.

"_Most_ rogues don't make good warriors," Brightstorm amended, looking unabashed.

"Well, I say we give this she-cat a chance, before we condemn her," Hollyheart decided, shooting Gale a sympathetic look.

Brightstorm glared at Hollyheart but did not reply.

"This young cat, Gale, will need a warrior ceremony," Fogstar continued, "She will need a bit of training, but I don't think she should be considered an apprentice. Therefore, we will all help to train her."

He leaped down and stood before Gale, who straightened, the fear fading from her amber eyes.

"I, Fogstar, leader of ShadowClan," Fogstar began powerfully, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this rogue. She will train hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Gale, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Gale paused and swallowed. Then she lifted her head. "I do."

"Then," Fogstar went on, "by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Gale, from this moment you will be known as Galeheart. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and readiness, and we welcome you as a warrior of ShadowClan."

For an awful moment there was dead silence. Then Sparrowfire yowled, "Galeheart! Galeheart!"

Hollyheart joined in, as did a few other cats, including all the apprentices, but most of the Clan stayed deathly silent.

The meeting broke up, and Sparrowfire padded forward. "Congratulations, Galeheart," he purred.

"I…thank you…" Galeheart looked mystified.

"Would you like to come hunting with me?" he asked, ignoring the hostile looks being shot his and Galeheart's way.

She nodded. "Sure."

Sparrowfire led Galeheart to the camp entrance. She was already starting to smell like ShadowClan; the camp had covered up her musty rogue smell with the familiar scent of his home.

Galeheart paused, sniffing the air. "It smells so…different."

Sparrowfire nodded. "All this will take some getting used to."

Galeheart said nothing in reply. Instead, her ears pricked up, and she stared into the snow. "I think there's a vole under the snow there," she whispered, gesturing with her tail.

"Oh." Sparrowfire sighed. "Well, we probably won't be able to—"

He broke off as Galeheart sprang straight into the air and came straight down, diving face first into the snow. A few heartbeats passed; then she came up with snow all over her mouse and a small, wildly struggling vole in her jaws. She dropped it and quickly dispatched it.

"Where'd you learn that technique?" Sparrowfire asked, both startled and a little impressed.

"Ace and I figured it out," she responded, "My brother, Ace."

_Ace must have been pretty smart. Or maybe Galeheart is just really smart. A pity they both couldn't have joined ShadowClan._

"You'll have to teach the Clan that," Sparrowfire commented, pushing his thoughts aside, "It could be quite helpful."

Galeheart nodded. She still looked very daunted. She dropped the vole on the ground and bent to eat it.

"Wait!" Sparrowfire leaped in front of her. She jumped back in astonishment. As her surprise wore off, she glared at Sparrowfire. "I need to eat—"

"No, that's not how Clan life works," Sparrowfire explained, heart thumping, "We bring the food back for the queens to eat. We don't get to eat what we catch. We bring it back to camp."

"That's ridiculous!" Galeheart exclaimed, eyes burning, "I caught that vole, fair and square!"

"Well, that's what the warrior code teaches," Sparrowfire retorted, "and you promised to uphold the code."

Galeheart scowled at Sparrowfire. "_Fine." _She pawed at the snow until a reasonable hole had been scraped out and then dropped the vole into it, quickly covering it. "There!"

"Look, I'm sorry, Gale. But that's the code," Sparrowfire apologized awkwardly.

"What _else_ is in the code?" Galeheart sounded weary.

"Well, there's a lot, really…" Sparrowfire guided Galeheart through the forest, explaining the code, trying to stifle his misgivings.

_Does a rogue really belong in the Clan?_


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Echoflame, Hawkstar would like you to go to the Gathering," Greenheart murmured.

Echoflame jerked up in surprise. Greenheart was already padding off, but his words lingered. She usually didn't go to Gatherings; she wasn't a very high-ranking warrior, and she didn't really mind not going.

"Greenheart!" Echoflame called after her brother. A quarter moon had passed since he expressed his wish to be deputy, and he was definitely becoming more responsible and powerful in the Clan.

Greenheart looked back at her questioningly.

"Who…who else is going?" she asked, breathless with excitement.

"Swiftleap, Bluesong, Redleaf, Moonfur, Blacktail, Poppypelt, Jasminefur, Gempaw, Dustpaw, Quickpaw, Mistflower, and Reedfall," Greenheart replied, "And me, of course."

Echoflame nodded. Mistyflower hadn't been allowed to a Gathering in months, after the Clan discovered she was pregnant with Adderear's kits. Echoflame sighed; Mistyflower's story was a sad one. She had confided in her friend, Poppypelt, about her secret meetings with Adderear and later her pregnancy. Poppypelt had in turn betrayed Mistyflower and told Eggclaw. Poppypelt had done it for the good of the Clan and for fear for her friend, but in the end, their friendship had been lost, and Mistyflower's status in the Clan had dropped substantially.

Echoflame knew that Greenheart hated Mistyflower for being so treacherous, but Echoflame thought the slender gray she-cat with alright. Mistyflower was much quieter now, but she was still kind and gentle. She didn't deserve hatred.

"Hey, Echoflame! You're coming to the Gathering!"

Echoflame purred as Jasminefur neared her. "Yeah. I think Greenheart put in a good word for me, truth be told."

"You haven't been to a Gathering since you were an apprentice," Jasminefur pointed out, "Hawkstar probably realized how little you complained about it."

Echoflame shrugged. She and Jasminefur took a robin from the fresh-kill pile and split it; it was tough and mostly feathers, but it was food.

The rest of the day passed in a haze. Despite Echoflame's previous nonchalance on the matter of attending Gatherings, she was now too excited to wait. When Hawkstar finally called the warriors together, her heart skipped a little at her name.

Jasminefur walked alongside her. "I wonder if Hawkstar will challenge ShadowClan over that weird scent."

Over the past quarter moon, a strange cat-smell, half-ShadowClan and half-rogue, had been appearing just over the ShadowClan border a little too much.

"Probably. She'll need to remind ShadowClan that their territory is not for taking, especially not in leaf-bare," Echoflame predicted.

The run to Fourtrees got Echoflame's muscles moving. Hawkstar didn't even pause before they ran down the slope into the hollow.

Echoflame purred; only ShadowClan had arrived, but it already felt so full, and Echoflame already felt so excited. She ran away from Jasminefur and immediately slammed headfirst into a ShadowClan warrior.

"Oof!" Echoflame leaped back, mortified. "I'm so sorry!"

She took another step back and looked at the cat she'd hit. He was a big black tom with very dark green eyes. She had the feeling that in greenleaf he'd be a formidable opponent, but right now he looked downright scrawny.

"Quite alright," the tom replied smoothly, "I'm Sparrowfire. Who are you?"

"Echoflame," she responded breathlessly, "of ThunderClan."

She stared into his dark green eyes. They were like deep forest pools, the color of shadowy pine needles. Her intensity mounted, and soon he was staring back just as intensely, his eyes looking so passionate.

"Have…have we met before?" she whispered.

"Only in our dreams," he breathed.

Echoflame stepped forward until she could taste his breath. He smelled like pinesap and frost.

"Echoflame…" he murmured.

Echoflame swallowed. "Sparrowfire."

A yowl broke them apart. Echoflame leaped away, startled, and realized that the four leaders were on the Great Rock, ready to speak. Echoflame shot Sparrowfire an agonized glance; his dark eyes met hers before he mixed back with his own Clan.

Echoflame found her place beside Jasminefur and tried to listen, but she didn't hear a thing. All she could see was Sparrowfire's dark eyes, and all she could hear was his deep, steady voice.

"Echoflame?"

Echoflame jumped as Jasminefur nudged her. "What?"

"A cat named Skypaw said that Sparrowfire had a question for you. About borders?" Jasminefur looked at her expectantly.

_Oh, yes. It's about borders all right. _

_Borders and so much more._

Echoflame padded over to where Sparrowfire waited, his face a mask of calm and ease.

"Tomorrow night, here. Midnight," he hissed, then went on to say something about the importance of borders. Echoflame nodded and added in the right comments at the right times for any passerby, but her heart thumped wildly as she realized what she was about to do.

_I'm breaking the warrior code._

What if Greenheart found out? He'd never forgive her.

_I don't care._

And that was what scared her the most.

"Are you alright? You seem…distracted."

"What?" Echoflame glanced absentmindedly at Jasminefur, trying to break away from her daydreams of Sparrowfire's dark green eyes.

"We need to hunt." Was that…suspicion in Jasminefur's eyes.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I'm just tired from the Gathering. I don't normally go." Echoflame silently thanked her body for the yawn it sent right then.

Jasminefur looked relieved. "Oh, alright. I thought you were thinking about Sparrowfire."

Echoflame's jaws snapped shut. _How does she know?! _"Why would I be thinking about Sparrowfire?" she asked, sounding nonchalant.

"Well, you two were talking a lot last night. He _is_ an impressive cat. I've seen him around." Jasminefur turned away, seemingly pleased with Echoflame's answer.

_I'm lying to my best friend. _

"Yeah. But he's kinda boring. All he wanted to talk about was borders. _Boring."_

_Lies. Lies. Lies. They just get bigger. I never knew I was so good at telling them._

"I suppose so. I think you and Blacktail would be cute together, really."

_Oh, how I wish I could be in love with Blacktail instead. You have no idea, Jasminefur. _

"Blacktail? Really? That tail of his…ugh."

_Not like Sparrowfire's long, winding tail. _

"I dunno. I think it's rather cute. And he seems pretty into you, Echoflame. Hadn't you noticed?"

_No. I didn't want to notice. Why couldn't I have noticed?_

Echoflame leaped forward, silencing a shrew beneath her claws. "Well, I don't like any tom right now," she told Jasminefur firmly, "I'm just glad to be a warrior."

_If only…_


End file.
